


When Normal Isn't An Option

by UnderratedSnail



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Basically, Fluff, M/M, mild homophobia, uther is just a dick, whats new there
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-28
Updated: 2014-11-23
Packaged: 2018-02-19 03:17:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2372555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnderratedSnail/pseuds/UnderratedSnail
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"This wasn't here before. Did you-"<br/>"Go to the shops and buy it myself?" Arthur finished. "Yes, father, I am twenty years of age. I think I am able to go to the shops all by myself."<br/>Uther took a breath. "You know I don't like you leaving the house on your own. Did you-"<br/>"Cover my nose? Yes, I did, father."</p><p>Loosely based on the film 'Penelope'</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I watched the film and this idea kinda just popped up. Please comment if you like it and stuff, and constructive criticism would be welcome. I don't own anything!

Arthur was never considered as normal, especially not under the eye of his father, Uther. He was either an abomination or unnatural, but he'd learnt not to take these insults to heart. The curse had put Uther through a lot; not only did he lose the love of his life, but the last thing she had left on the earth had grown a pigs nose, tainting his late wife's image.

Sure, you could argue that Uther wasn't the one who had to carry the pigs nose for their whole life, but Arthur had learnt to look at the brighter side of people, no matter how dark they portrayed themselves. You never know what goes on in their heads.

The curse, Arthur personally thought, wasn't really that bad; he wasn't dying or anything, he just had a pigs nose. The curse was put on him specifically because, from what he had heard, it was foreseen by the druids that he would one day grow into the most hated and spiteful man in Britain. Uther thought it was complete bollocks, but that didn't stop the druids. And hence, Arthur had a pigs nose.

Though he would never voice his opinion, Arthur would say that he was a little glad that he had the blasted thing. True, sometimes he felt truly alone being so different from society, but the hurt had turned him wiser. Well, he hoped it was wisdom. It could be madness. But did it really matter?

His father, on the other hand, was a more bitter man. Arthur thought that if things had been different, then he would have grown into the prophecy, and it made him feel queasy. He loved his father, he really did, but he'd never want to turn into him.

Of course, Uther would never change his ways, and today was not the exception.

"Arthur! Come down here this _instant!_ " His father's harsh voice rang out inside the large stairway. Arthur rolled his eyes and stepped down each step dramatically.

"Yes, father?" He said in a bored tone as soon as he reached the bottom steps.

"What on _earth_ is this?" He said, shoving a large packet of crisps in his face. Arthur knotted his eyebrows in confusion. Was this a trick question?

"Lunch?"

From what Arthur could see, Uther was just moments away from turning into a literal tomato. He took a step back.

" _No,_ " Uther said, closing his eyes to try and keep calm, "This wasn't here before. Did you-"

"Go to the shops and buy it myself?" Arthur finished. "Yes, father, I am twenty years of age. I think I am able to go to the shops all by myself."

Uther took a breath. "You know I don't like you leaving the house on your own. Did you-"

"Cover my nose? Yes, I did, father."

He made move to go back upstairs, thinking that the conversation was over, but his father grabbed his arm to stop him in place. "Arthur, I know I may seem overbearing at times, but this curse isn't permanent. As soon as you are rid of this torturous thing, you can finally be normal, and I won't have bother you so much."

Arthur closed his eyes. "Father, there is no proof that I can be rid of this. Can you not just accept that?"

"Son, I will not rest until you are restored to normality and those druids pay for what they have done."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say." He ran upstairs before his Uther could say another word and entered his room.

Though his father had spoken so much about breaking the curse, Arthur held very little hope. " _You must learn to love one of your own kind."_ Those were one of the last words the druids had apparently said before they disappeared. And those few words were from then on sewed onto his brain.

But what did it mean? Did he have to find another who shared this unfortunate curse? One of the same gender? One of the same rank? So much was held into those words that Arthur couldn't just pick out what he needed to do. He just wanted his father to look at him as a son, and not as some unnatural freak.

His head snapped up when he heard someone opening his door. The face of his older sister peeped out.

"Morgana." He said with a smile.

"I heard father droning on again. What was it this time?"

"I went to the shops without his say so."

Morgana, with her amazingly green eyes, rolled them and closed the door, joining Arthur by sitting next to him on his bed. "That man needs to let you grow up a little."

Arthur huffed. "He means well."

"I don't care. You're twenty, Arthur, not five. He knows that, right?"

"He's just concerned."

She barked out a bitter laugh. "For what, his pride? Curse or not, you're still his son."

"You know it's been hard on him, Morgana."

"Doesn't give him the right to talk to you like crap." She sighed. "Just-just don't listen to him, okay? You _are_ normal."

He snorted. "I have a pigs nose."

She shrugged. "Maybe that just makes everyone else the weirdos."

***

Arthur was staring out the window when something caught his eye. It wasn't anything big, just a man. He wasn't really doing anything, just walking. And suddenly, Arthur yearned. He yearned to walk outside freely, feel the breeze on his face whenever he wanted, without worrying about being judged.

He couldn't quiet tell why _now_ was the moment the realisation hit him, but he couldn't really delve into the thought, because he began to breath heavily. He was never going to leave here. _He'd be here forever._

He patted the bed behind him for support and just collapsed against it. This was his life. He'd never be allowed to go out. Never be allowed to just be free, and all because he had a pig for a face. The temptation to cry had never been so great, but he tried to keep it all in. He didn't want anyone to hear his weeps, see him so weak.

He took a few more deep breaths and sat up, staring blankly at the floor. He couldn't stay here. The size of the house would never make him feel less claustrophobic. He _had_ to find a cure.

Before he even knew what he was doing, he stomped down the stairs and called for his father.

"Yes, son, what's wrong?"

"I need to get rid of the curse."

For a few moments, confusion clouded over Uther, but then he began to laugh. "I've been saying that for twenty years."

"No, I mean, I _really_ need to find a cure. The druids said that I had to find someone of my own kind and love them. What does that _really_ mean?"

Uther began to slowly walk away from him, obviously in thought, when he abruptly turned to face Arthur. "You're rank, it must be. There aren't many blue bloods around this neighbourhood, the druids must have known that. They'd never make the cure easy for us to gain."

That was true; from what he had heard (from his father, so perhaps it wasn't the most reliable source of information) that there weren't any blue bloods around this area of town. And if there were, they'd kept it a secret from Uther.

"Perhaps, but I can't really see any blue bloods interested in me."

"Nonsense, they'll just be against the face, but we don't need to show them _instantly._ " Ouch, the face. Usually he just directed it towards the nose. Arthur felt as if he should have been more offended, but he didn't care. He was just _so tired_.

"So what do you suggest, father?"

Was that a glint in his father's eyes? "Well, I could find those of noble birth and ask them here so you can talk to them. Obviously, I'd need some help. Perhaps I could ask Gauis-"

Arthur shook his head. "But when they'll see me, they'll just run."

But his father wasn't listening. He'd already walked out with phone in hand, and Arthur doubted that he would even listen to him anyway. He sighed and went to his room.

Maybe he'd finally be normal.

***

It had only taken a week's preparation for the plan to be set in place. His father had claimed that he'd found much more than a handful of bluebloods with the aid of his friend, Gauis. Gauis was an old family friend, and one of the only people who knew of Arthur's curse. Though he had not seen a lot of the man in the past few years, he still trusted the man and his judgement.

They had decided to let them in, one by one, and leave them in their living room. There would be a wall with what looked like a mirror, but the truth of it was that it was one way glass that Uther had _specially_ fitted in for this very reason.

Once one of the blue bloods entered, she and Arthur would talk. And if she seemed to be the right one for him, then he would reveal himself and boom. Curse gone.

Of course, things never truly go smoothly.

"What the hell was that?" Uther roared as Arthur entered the kitchen. It was a tiring day. He'd just been rejected by at least fourteen women. He needed some chocolate.

Arthur decided to go for innocent. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Don't play that card with me, young man, you know _full well_ what you have been doing."

After raiding the kitchen, he finally found a stash of chocolate. "Look, when more than a dozen women reject you _on the same day_ , it gets a little humiliating."

"But you didn't follow the plan! On those last few, you just walked out!"

"Yes, father, best to get it over and done with, don't you agree?"

His father hit the table with such force that it made Arthur jump. " _No._ When you-"

"No, I don't care." With an arm full of chocolate, Arthur tried to hold what was left of his dignity. "I'm never going to find someone who won't want to run away when they look at me. Heck, I can't even look at myself in the mirror sometimes. So I'd like to spend the rest of the day in misery and chocolate. Good night."

"Arthur-"

" _Good night._ "

***

The next day followed the same trend, and Arthur was seriously starting to question Gauis and his father's judgement in women. Most of them were snobs, and the rest looked confused as to why they were even there.

"I'm sorry, my boy," Gauis had said, sitting himself next to Arthur in the lonesome room in which he had received so many rejections. "I wish I knew how to make you feel better."

Arthur gave a small smile. "You're helping me with this whole curse thing, and that's enough."

Gauis stayed when more of the girls came in. He knew that Arthur wasn't really taking the runnings away too easily, and he was quietly grateful for this. At least someone was by his side.

One of the girls, Sophia, had walked in, pumping her hair up. Arthur resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He had to show a good impression - Gauis was there.

"Hello." Arthur said awkwardly through the speaker. If Sophia was startled by the sudden voice, she didn't show it.

"Hello," her extremely posh accent let out, "Oh Lord, this room could look _a lot_ better; what did you do, let a horse trample upon it?"

He didn't move his head, but he could see from where he was sitting that Gauis was hiding a smile.

"Erm, well-"

"Oh god, _these walls._ Were you temporarily blind when you painted them? Who has lime walls? And what's with all these books? God save me, I've entered a barn."

What was she even going on about?

"Goodness, the furniture-"

"I'm sorry, Gauis," Arthur said to him under his breath as he stood up and made way to enter the living room.

"Hello Sophia," He sang, and his grin only widened when he saw Sophia's reaction to his face. Sure, he should be more than upset, but this girl was far beyond rude. She deserved to get scarred.

Once she ran away, screaming in horror, Arthur re opened the door that separated the two rooms and resumed his seating next to Gauis. When more than a moment had passed in silence, Arthur turned his head, only to find Gauis with surprise on his face.

"What?"

"You're father's not going to be happy about this. Her father is good friends with him."

Arthur wrinkled his nose. "She wasn't the most kindest person, Gauis."

This made the man smile. "I guess you're right, my boy."

 

Once a couple of hours passed, Gauis left, saying that Uther was waiting for him to the kitchen. His father could see everything that was happening in the kitchen, as he had installed cameras to see how all the interactions went. Though the act was kind of invading his privacy, Arthur couldn't really do anything about it.

Around ten minutes had passed until _he_ stumbled in. He being the same man who Arthur had seen walking on the streets more than a week ago. He looked out of breath, as if he had been running.

"I know you." Arthur said through the speaker, and he could see that he had accidentally just scared the man. The stranger quickly straighten himself and looked around the room.

"I'm sorry," the man said, raking a hand through his already scruffy hair, "I didn't know someone was in here. The doors were all open and-" the man stopped. "You know me?"

Arthur coughed. "I just-I've seen you around. Sort of."

The man lifted an eyebrow. "Sort of?"

"I'm Arthur." He blurted out. The man just smirked.

"Well would you look at that. I'm Merlin. This just _has_ to be fate." There was a giggle in his voice, and Arthur just rolled his eyes.

"Shut up."

"So, floating voice," Merlin said as he wondered around the plain room, looking through the book shelves. "How come I can't see you?"

Ah, so Merlin didn't know. He'd have thought that he would have, considering blue bloods didn't really keep secrets from each other. There were plenty of girls that he suspected that would have spread the word.

"Adds to the mystery, don't you think? Why did you come in here if you didn't know what you were expecting?"

Merlin picked up a book. "Needed to get away, heard people were getting invited here, thought I'd join in."

"Ah, so you're a _sheep_." Arthur was smiling. It felt foreign to him.

"Not a sheep, just looking for some liveliness." He put down that book and picked up another.

"What are you doing?"

"Ah, so you can see me. How does that work; do you have cameras in here? I do have to admit, that's kind of creepy."

Arthur barked out a laugh. "One way glass, you idiot. I can see you, but you can't see me."

"And you still haven't answered why I can't."

"Who says I want to?"

"I certainly want you to. I don't really feel comfortable just flirting with a voice."

Flirting? "If this is how you flirt then I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't been in many relationships."

Merlin gasped in a very dramatic way and placed a hand over his heart. "I'll have you know, I've been in many relationships. What can I say, my flirting charms people."

"Well it doesn't really charm me, I just think you're an idiot."

Merlin seemed to smile at that. "I guess that just adds to your mystery."

Before Arthur could reply, Uther came storming in. What on earth was his father doing? "I would like for you to leave."

"Wait, wha-"

"I said _leave._ " Merlin still had a book in his hands, but his father hadn't really given him much choice but to take it with him as he was pushed outside. Had his father finally lost it?

Arthur stormed out of the room and into the living room where Uther stood in rage. "What on _earth_ are you doing, father?"

"Arthur, could you not see that he is a male? I certainly did not invite him."

"What? So you're torn up because he's a boy?"

"You know what the druids said, it has to be-"

"Someone of my own kind, yes, but why can't that be a boy? What's wrong with that?"

The anger that filled his eyes was like nothing Arthur had ever seen before. He didn't want to shy away out of pure dignity, but it was getting increasingly hard when Uther towered over him.

"You are a blue blood, Arthur. Do not ask stupid questions like that."

And that was the last straw. Arthur had truly felt like a child, and all because his father had felt the need to take control over his life. And for what? An image? Uther had crossed the line.

"Father, enough. I'm an adult, and I do not need you to tell me what is right and wrong in _my_ life."

A broken cackle came out of his father. "You do and I will. You will _show me some respect_."

He turned his back on him. "You need to deserve respect, and so far, you haven't been doing a great job of that."

He could practically taste the anger that had swallowed his father. " _Go to your room._ " He said in a low whisper.

"Gladly."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin threw a sarcastic laugh his way. "Oh look, scarf boy's a prat. Who'd have thought?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's the next chapter! I apologise if it's a little short, but hopefully it's alright. Please comment and stuff, and enjoy!

A week had passed, and it felt like a lifetime. There was no interactions with his father. Nothing to do with Gauis. He didn't even see anymore of the girls. He was just left lounging in his room with nothing to do but occasionally talk to his sister.

The room now felt stuffy; what once was a leisure palace was now a suffocating cage. The peach plain walls laid reminder as how it didn't really feel like it was _his_. There were no posters, no little doodle marks from when he was little - they looked as if they were brand new. His father was against things looking anything but neat and tidy, and that wasn't to change for his room.

But he regretted it. He hadn't gone against his father then, and he wouldn't now. Was this how it was going to be forever? Was he just going to follow each and every one of Uther's orders, no matter the impact on himself?

How long had he not been in charge of his own life?

***

He couldn't carry on like this. He couldn't. He was twenty years old, goddammit, he shouldn't be scared of getting caught. It was within his rights, after all.

In the dead of night, Arthur had packed a small duffel bag with the little sentimental belongings he owned - some clothes, his phone, some money, and one of the only pictures he had of his mother. He was ready.

He opened the door to his room as slowly as he could, hoping the speed of the door would make it less loud. He was wrong.

The door creaked as if it was begging his father to wake up, screaming ' _he's running away!'_ with all its might, and all Arthur could do was close his eyes and hope to anyone listening that his father was still asleep.

After tense moments of no movement and silence, Arthur let out a breath, laughter let out with it. He began to take light steps to the stairs, thanking the lord that he'd gotten this far without being detected.

The stairs. This was the hard part. Though they were covered in fluffy pale carpet, the stairs were known in the household for creaking a lot. How Arthur thought he had a chance of going down those stairs with no noise coming from them was beyond him. Nevertheless, he took a leap of faith and landed on the first step. It made a creek.

 _Creek, creek, creek!_ The stairs whispered, _Wake up Uther, he's escaping!_

Two minutes of almost-heart attacks later, he found himself down those traitorous stairs. He waited. And waited.

 _And waited_.

There was nothing.

He was free.

***

He'd spent two hours under the starry sky just wondering around the streets, unsure of what to actually do. He hadn't really thought this through. He couldn't really ask the few that were dispersed among the streets; not only did the rainbow scarf covering his nose make him look a little sketchy, but it was the dead of night. He didn't know these people and they didn't know him. Uther had always told him not to trust strangers.

Before he could spend another round of wondering aimlessly on the streets, he spotted a little cafe. The night was cold and it seemed to be one of the only things open. He decided to go in.

When he did, he was struck by warmth and the smell of coffee. Though it seemed a little on the small side, the place had a homely feel to it. The walls were all painted in white, but each wall was covered was something; some with menus, and others with posters and drawings. What kind of cafe was this? Arthur certainly didn't know, but he felt lucky to find it.

When he walked to the counter, he was welcomed to a familiar face. His dark night hair and razor-sharp cheekbones were too hard to forget.

"Merlin?" Arthur's muffled voice said through his scarf. He looked up and his blue eyes shone with confusion.

"..Yes? Sorry, do I know you?"

Of course he wouldn't recognise him. It was one way glass. But why was a blue blood working in a cafe?

When he realised that Merlin was actually expecting and answer from him, he quickly stammered, "Err, well, n-name tag."

"I'm not wearing o-"

"Can I order or is this an interrogation?"

Wrong thing to say. _Wrong thing to say._

"How on earth am I interrogating you? I'm sorry, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." When Arthur didn't budge, Merlin pointed a hand towards the door. "Now."

God, how had Arthur ruined it so terribly? It was the scarf. It had to be the scarf. _'It's not the scarf, you're just being a prick.'_ his brain told him. He then proceeded to tell his brain to _shut up, what do you know?_

"No, wait. I'm sorry. It's me."

There was a pause. "Who's 'me'?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Me, the voice you 'flirted' terribly at."

There was another pause.

" _You're_ the voice?" Merlin asked, shock evident in his voice. "I didn't actually think I'd ever put a face to you."

"Well, here I am." Arthur said, overwhelmed by the sudden awkwardness he felt. Why had he said anything?

"Here you are. Why don't you take off your scarf, it's boiling." Merlin made a show of reaching his arm out to put away the rainbow atrocity, but Arthur stepped back abruptly.

"No!" His eyes were wide and mouth was open, and for a moment he forgot to breath. When he realised that the look on Merlin's face was fearful, guilt struck him with incredible force. "I-I mean, it's very cold."

Merlin didn't really buy it, he could tell, but he didn't act upon it. "Well, how about I get you one of my famous cups of tea to warm you up?"

Relief ran through his body, and he let out a sigh of content. "That would be great, thank you."

When the tea arrived, it just sat there, staring judgingly at Arthur. He couldn't really take his scarf off to drink it without causing a scene. There was only one thing for it.

"Do you have a straw?"

 

The tea wasn't anything fancy, just normal cup of Tetley tea, mixed with milk and sugar, but it was different. It wasn't like the cups of tea he made at his house. It was stupid, thinking so deeply about a simple cup of tea, but he couldn't help it. This was his; his father couldn't take this away from him, it was all his. And he hadn't felt this good in such a long time.

"You look awfully happy over a cup of tea." Merlin said as he wiped the other tables, and Arthur swore he could've seen a small smile.

"'s good tea." He said through the scarf and straw and damn, he probably should have been more embarrassed. He literally looked like an overgrown five year old.

However, the dark haired man just chuckled. "Well, I _did_ make it, so-"

"It's a miracle I haven't been poisoned yet?" Arthur finished.

Merlin threw a sarcastic laugh his way. "Oh look, scarf boy's a prat. Who'd have thought?"

Arthur pretended to think about it. "You obviously don't know me that well."

At this point, Merlin had taken the seat opposite Arthur and leaned in, elbows firmly laid on the table. "Maybe we should change that."

Arthur raised his eyebrow. "I could be an axe murderer for all you know."

 His blue eyes just seemed to shine brighter at that as he leaned back on his chair. "Can't say that's not a possibility, but I'm pretty sure axe murderers don't wear rainbow scarves and drink tea from a straw."

A laugh force itself out and once it came out, he couldn't find himself to stop.

"You're an idiot."

"And you're odd. But I like you enough not to kick you out."

And that was a start.


	3. Chapter 3

Without him even realising, the clock hit 1am, and Arthur didn't know what to do next. He couldn't go home, but he didn't have anywhere else to go. God, he _really should have prepared better_.

Of course he was hyperventilating.

"Oh, Jesus, are you alright?" Merlin said, placing his hand on his back in a soothing way. "Oh God, it's that ridiculous scarf. Just take it-"

Arthur raised a hand to the scarf in an effort to show that in no way was he going to take it off. "'m fine."

"You clearly are not, Arthur." Was that annoyance in his voice? Why was he annoyed? He had no time to analyse this because his legs just made him stand up.

"I'm alright, I just. I haven't really got a place to stay tonight."

Oh god.

"I mean, not like that, I just, I-I mean," His face was probably scarlet now, and he could do nothing to change that but turn away from Merlin. "I'll go now."

"Wait," Merlin said as he reached out for Arthur arm, "My friend owns the motel around the corner; I could call him up and see if there's any space for you?"

How on earth had he met such a remarkable human being? "Yes, oh goodness, yes please."

The smile on Merlin's face grew and he went to call his friend while Arthur went to sit back down. Somehow, luck was just hitting him. Perhaps it was just pity they felt for him. Somehow, he could deal with that.

He was just playing with his thumbs when his mobile vibrated, indicating a text. His heart was pumping fast until he realised that Uther never texted, so this could only be one other person.

_01:07 - Received from Morgana_

_Where on earth are you?!_

Arthur sighed, mostly annoyed at himself. How had he neglected to tell Morgana? He must have been too swallowed up in his anger to remember to tell her, but that didn't make him feel any better.

_01:08 - Sent by You_

_Long story - don't worry, I'm safe._

Before he could get engulfed in more guilt, he out away his phone and looked up. Merlin seemed to still be on the phone, but he was smiling. It was odd; even when he was that far away, Arthur could still see the vibrant blue eyes strike out, but they seemed to light up more when he smiled. The scruffy hair just added to the effect, lighting up the whole room without looking to even mean to. He couldn't help the soft smile that found its way on his face when he heard Merlin's laugh, completing the scene before him.

His stare must have been heavy, because Merlin suddenly turned to look at Arthur, and he couldn't help but pretend that he was actually looking at the ceiling. Huh, it did seem to have an interesting pattern to it. There weren't many lime green ceilings out there.

"Why are you looking at the ceiling?" Merlin called out.

Arthur was not blushing. "It's interesting. Problem?"

"I honestly cannot say there is." So Merlin must have been off the phone. He turned his head to the man, only to find him stepping closer to him, so Arthur subtly took a small step backwards. "So, my mysterious voice, what do you do?"

"Apart from staring at ceilings, you mean?"

Merlin snorted. "Yes, apart from that."

"Well," Should Arthur have felt embarrassed? He felt embarrassed. "I haven't really...worked before."

"Wait, what? Never?"

"Nope." In all honesty, it wasn't even his decision. It was Uther, but he could see the logic behind it. No one would want to hire the freak show with a pigs nose, and no one would want to give him a job when he showed up to an interview with 'the rainbow scarf of idiot' mounted on his face. But maybe things could change now. "You-you wouldn't happen to have a job running here, would you? I mean, it's completely fine if you don't, I can't really assu-"

"Arthur, please breath, I feel tired _for_ you." He took a step closer to Arthur. "I unfortunately do not have the power to hire anyone, but I could talk to Killi; he's the owner. You're just going to have to come back with a CV and it should be alright."

Oh god. "What's a CV?"

Merlin just gave him a dumbfounded look. "How do you - you know what? Never mind, just leave Killi with me. Now, I'm sure you're extremely tired, so I suggest you go to the motel. The owner's name is Gwaine and he's expecting you, so just give your name and you should be alright for the night."

Arthur nodded and his smile grew. He still couldn't believe his luck. "Thank you, really."

Merlin just seemed to look down at his feet, as if embarrassed about the good deed he had just shown. "Well, I _am_ awesome as well as charming."

"Merlin?"

He looked up. "Yes?"

"Shut up."

A smile tugged on his face. "Sure."

***

When he arrived at the motel, he didn't expect it to look like this. He didn't really know what to expect - he'd never been to a motel before. There was just a line of white bricked buildings with a few cars scattered outside them, and Arthur had no idea what he was doing. He found a door that seemed inviting enough, so he walked through it, hoping to the gods this was the right place.

The reception looked comforting enough, so he walked up to the big looking desk and found a young man sitting there. Was this the man Merlin was talking about? He looked a little young to own a motel, but then again, Arthur looked young to own all his riches and wealth. He walked up to him and cleared his throat.

The man didn't look up, obviously not having heard him. When Arthur cleared his throat a couple more times and received the same result, he began getting frustrated and eventually just mumbled a small "Excuse me."

Finally, the man looked up. "Oh fuck."

Well, okay then.

The man had longish hair, brown like dark chocolate, and he looked as if he hadn't shaved for three days. But the look suited him, as if the scruff was his style. Honestly? The man was good looking. And here was Arthur, standing awkwardly with a rainbow scarf covering half his face, looking like a scared child.

"Shit, sorry," was that an Irish accent? "I'm guessing you're Arthur?"

So this _was_ who Merlin was talking to on the phone. "Yes, that's me."

He looked him from head to toe, then back up. He felt uncomfortable. "Merlin could have mentioned that you were handsome. Mind taking the scarf off?"

Wait, what? "No, sorry."

"Shame, bet that face is to die for."

"I have a feeling you say that to a lot of your customers."

Gwaine's grin just seemed to stretch at that, and the tension in Arthur's shoulders he hadn't even realised he'd been holding had been released.

"Alright, princess, fourth door on the right is your room. Enjoy."

He quickly picked up his duffle bag with a small "Thank you." as he walked past him. The hallway was smaller than what he was used to, but he decided not think about it. He was grateful to be able to find a place to stay at such short notice.

Once he had entered, it felt as if it was a new world. The walls were all different; one held a wooden appearance, with the oak brown colour slowly but surely fading away. It held two paintings - one of a delicately painted flower, and the other of just random buildings. The wall to the right of that, where the bed was against, was painted a blank white with nothing on it but the yellow lights mounted upon them. The bed itself was big enough, but the duvets were a vibrant pink with flower designs all over them. It probably should have put him off, but he found it endearing in a way. It brightened the loom a little.

He sat on the end of it and stared blankly at the wall opposite him, like all those other times he had time in his own room. But this time was different. This time, he was happy.

He picked out his phone from his pocket and checked for messages. The only one he had was from Morgana, telling him that he _just had to spill what was happening, goddammit_. He chuckled to himself lightly as he typed out a reply that he'd call her in the morning to explain everything. For now, he needed to rest.

He got up to make sure that the door was securely locked, and when it proved to be, he finally took off the suffocating scarf. He knew that is wasn't normal in the world _of_ normal people to wear a rainbow scarf covering half your face for the most part of the day, but somehow he got this far. He'd, hopefully, found a friend in Merlin, and hopefully gained a job of his very own. He didn't need Uther.

He was finally gaining control over his life.

***

Morning broke in with its harsh rays of sunlight beaming into his eyes, and he violently sat up. When he realised that he wasn't getting attacked by a series of burning balls of light, he crashed back down and smiled. Today was his first day. His first day at being him.

After about five minutes of smiling like a goose, he strolled into the shower. Once he stripped down, he was just about to enter it when he caught his reflection on a mirror. He'd had twenty years to live with it, but that didn't make it any easier. Why did it have to be him? Sure, the druids weren't known to get their prophecies wrong, but could they have found a better way to make him a better person than just make him part pig?

It should have made him bitter. That's how people turned when they were alone for so long, he'd seen it happen to his aunt Morgause. She got consumed in such hate and bitterness when she felt as if she had nothing; her husband had died, and Uther had taken Morgana away to London. Morgana was like her daughter, everyone knew, but Uther had despised their little relationship. Maybe it was jealousy, or maybe Morgause had done something to him, Arthur had no idea, but his aunt didn't seem to ever get over that. And neither did Morgana.

It seemed like Uther had a hard time maintaining relationships, and Arthur had to admit that he felt a little pity for the man. He guessed that his father was another example of someone who turned bitter; apparently he was never the same after Igraine died.

Pushing all those thoughts aside, Arthur touched the tip of his nose. If he could only barely look at it himself, then how was he meant to let other people in? It hadn't really been a plan of his, but if he really was going to start working with Merlin, then surely they would get a little close. It was inevitable that Merlin would, sooner or later, see...this, but the question was; what would he do next?

He entered the shower with confused thoughts and a frown on his face.

***

The bell to the cafe shop chimed as he opened the door, and he stepped in to the welcoming smell of coffee and calmness. A smile instantly found its way on Arthur's face.

"Hello?" Arthur's stifled voice shined through his scarf.

Two hands landed on his shoulders from behind him, and he certainly did _not_ squeak in fright.

"Wow, Arthur, manly."

"Shut up, Merlin." When he turned around, he was faced with the man's blinding grin, all teeth and full of joy, and if Arthur melted a little on the inside, then he made sure not to show it.

"I see you're still rocking the scarf?" There it was. The stupid smirk.

"Problem?"

Merlin began to circle around Arthur at a slow pace. "Just thought we were close enough to drop the formalities."

Arthur arched his eyebrow, un-amused. "I've known you for a day."

Suddenly, Merlin jumped right in front of him. "Ah, but does it not feel like a lifetime?" He spread his arms, for the dramatic effect, Arthur guessed.

"No, it feels like a day."

Merlin physically deflated, and Arthur had to stop himself from giggling. _Giggling_. As if he were a twelve year old girl. "Stop being so melodramatic."

He faced him with a smile, and Arthur just snorted. Perhaps Merlin was kind of, sort of right - he _was_ a little charming.

But he'd never admit that to another soul. _Ever_.

"Oh," Merlin said, clicking his fingers to keep the thought in his mind. "I talked to Killi, you know, the owner? He said that you could trial here today at around noon, when he's in. If he likes you enough, then he'll let you work here."

Arthur brightened up. "Really? Just like that?"

"Well, I did spend the best part of the hour convincing him that we needed more people to help out. I guess he finally broke down."

He probably had more to say, but Arthur stopped him. "You didn't have to pester the guy for an hour. There are other jobs out there, you know."

Merlin seemed to redden at this, and just turned away from him and walked to the counter. "Yeah, well, the guy owed me a favour anyway, he was just being grumpy about it. Anyway, why don't you go and explore the town a little before your little trial?"

Arthur didn't want to tell him that exploring the town would result in him getting lost, so he just nodded with a small wave as a farewell and walked out the shop. He was hit by the warm breeze dancing its way through his golden hair, and the sun beating down on him just made the scarf all the more uncomfortable. He decided to soldier on.

Merlin, the idiot, hadn't actually told him anything that was worth seeing in this small town, so Arthur was just left wondering the streets aimlessly like he did the night before. He thought now was a good as time as any to call his sister.

One ring. Two rings. _Three rings_.

She finally picked up.

 _"Arthur?"_ The whispered voice of his sister let out, and Arthur couldn't help but let a small smile slip out. He may not have been gone for that long, but he still missed Morgana a little.

"Hey, Morgana."

 _"You bastard!"_ she screeched, _"You utter bastard! How could you just sneak out at god knows o'clock and not even bother to tell me!"_

Oh god, here came the guilt. "I'm sorry, Morgana. It wasn't really planned, it just...happened."

_"Oh baby brother, I knew you were an idiot, but this way past that. Do you know what Uther will do when he finds out?"_

"Well, he can't really do much if he doesn't know where I am."

There was a heavy sigh from the other side of the line, and when Morgana began to speak again, her tone was much softer. _"Arthur, you know he has the money to find out where you are. He can hire people. If you'd just told me-"_

"I didn't want to get you into trouble." Arthur interjected.

Morgana laughed bitterly. _"Do you honestly think I care what Uther says to me? The only reason I stayed here for so long was because of you. Not even his crudeness and dick-ness pushed me away that easily."_

And this was just one of the many reasons Arthur loved his sister. She portrayed this braveness he wished he had, and she was loyal among all things. He knew he could rely on her.

"Look, I'm staying at this motel for the time being, and I've even got a job!"

There was a pause. _"Don't get me wrong, I'm all for this new outgoing Arthur, but how exactly did you manage to get a job with-"_

"The nose? Don't worry, its covered up. If you want, you can see me in action at the cafe at noon?"

When Morgana asked where, Arthur let out a relieved breath. If Morgana wasn't completely opposed to his current predicament, then surely he wasn't doing things completely wrong.

***

Noon rolled by and he was ready. He inhaled and stepped through the door, letting the bell's noise fill the room. When he looked around, the place seemed to be relatively clear - just a few customers drinking some coffee.

He walked up to the counter to find Merlin leaning against a coffee maker, and if Arthur knew any better, he'd say that he was day dreaming.

He decided, being the bastard he is, to walk up to Merlin and harshly clap his hands in front of his face. When Merlin jumped three feet into the air, Arthur allowed himself a small satisfactory grin.

"What the he- you're evil, rainbow scarf, you know that?"

"I've been informed." He dodged Merlin's slap on the arm and walked about the small confined area. "So what exactly do I do?"

"Whatever I say."

He whacked the back of Merlin's head, smiling. "No, seriously."

"Well, the manager said he wanted to meet you, so just go round the back." He pointed to where Arthur needed to go, and Arthur nodded with concentration, taking each instruction with seriousness. There seemed to be a weird look in Merlin's eyes, but he decided not to question it.

Once he made his way through countless boxes and papers which were scattered on the floor, he finally reached the owner's office. He knocked and entered.

The office wasn't really big, but that didn't stop Arthur feeling small. The room was painted in a calming red, with framed photos of people he didn't know. Pot plants were found scattered around the room, but it didn't look random at all. It looked organised.

"Ah," A croaked voice said, "You must be Arthur Pendragon."

Hearing his full name from a voice so foreign to him made him shiver. "Y-yes. Sir."

The old man just seemed to smile. "Take a seat, why not take your scarf off? It is a little stuffy in here."

He took a seat opposite his desk. "N-no thank you, sir."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with your curse, would it?"

In a matter of moments, the world seemed to stop. Arthur was now aware of his surroundings; he could hear each excruciating second on the clock pass by, hear the leaves outside crash onto the windows, feel the anxiety flow through his veins. It took him a beat too long to remember that he was meant to reply.

"Sorry? W-what curse? I'm afraid I don't kn-"

"Young man, you cannot lie to me."

How did he know? He'd never met the man before; he was no family friend, no close associate with Uther, so how on earth did he know?

Unless...

"You did this, didn't you? You're a druid!" The outburst came suddenly, but he couldn't bottle up his anger. Was this the man who caused his unnatural being?

The old man just gave a cackle. This just made Arthur angrier. "I am no druid, nor do I wish to be. When you have been around for as long as I have, you learn the secrets of the world."

"And how long have you been around for, exactly?"

"Long enough to know that you are no closer to finding a cure now than you were a couple of weeks ago. Long enough to know that by each day that passes, it is slowly bringing you down."

Arthur's eyes widened. "I don't...I'm not-"

"Do not insult me with your lies."

He sighed and let his gaze drop to the ground. Killi, or who ever this man really was, may have been suspicious and practically a stranger, but he knew about him. He knew about the curse. And he knew how he felt.

"Do you have _any_ idea of how I can be rid of it?" Arthur said with a croak in his voice. He hadn't even realised how desperate he truly was.

"I'm afraid I do not hold that specific knowledge, but I do know that it was no accident that you met Merlin."

Merlin? "Are you saying he has the power to break the curse? Is he meant to be the blueblood-"

"Young man, do not bombard me with questions I do not hold the answer to. I have shared all I know. Now, I suggest you return to start your trial."

Arthur blinked until he remembered his original cause for entering the office. "Of course." He got up and walked to the door, and without turning around, he mumbled a small, grateful "Thank you".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you spotted the little wise Kilgarrah at the end there ;) Comment if you liked it and stuff, and hopefully new chapter up soon =)


	4. Chapter 4

He left the office with a manic grin on his face, but no one could see it anyway, so it was fine. He knew that it wasn't a guarantee or anything, but it was a relief to know that someone else held the knowledge about the curse, and gave him more of an idea on how to cure it than what he had in the past _twenty years_. Things were looking up.

He found Merlin taking a customer's order, and so simply knocked shoulders with him lightly. He still hadn't a clue on how Merlin was involved in all this, but he couldn't say that he wasn't at least a little happy about it.

"What did Killi say?" Merlin asked him after he finished with the order.

Arthur smiled. "He told me to get on with the trial."

"Wait, he gave you the job even with that rainbow _thing_ on your face? Well, I just can't believe that."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "If this is another way of trying to get me to take it off, then you're going to be sorely disappointed."

"You're just no fun."

And things were good. He managed to not muck up any orders, and once the customers got passed not being able to actually see his face, they even ended up smiling at him. He was doing well.

Until things went to shit.

In other words; Morgana came in.

Arthur had forgotten inviting his sister to the cafe, so seeing her was a small shock. Things had gotten pretty hectic, and he just had too many thoughts clustered up in his head. Of course, he'd learnt that if you showed _any_ kind of weakness in front of her, then she would use it against you for _eternity_ , so he took her sudden appearance into stride and smiled at her, only to realise she couldn't see it. He resulted in just waving at her.

Once she noticed him, her smile brightened and she made her way to where he was wiping down one of the tables.

"Arthur, sorry I'm late." She said, giving him a hug.

"No, Morgana, it's fine. It's good to see you." He said, face digging into her shoulder. God. He didn't realise how much he'd missed her in the short time he had been gone.

Morgana then abruptly pulled away and smacked his arm. "I can't say the same for you. Do you know just how furious Uther is?"

"How's he taking it?"

"The man's practically hired every agency there is to find you. You knew this was going to happen, I did warn you. Do you know what you're doing? Because if you don't-"

He put his hands on her shoulders to get her to calm down. "I do. And I know that sounds kind of hard to believe, but I do. I mean, let's face it, those guys won't be looking for someone with a rainbow scarf covering half their face. And it's not exactly like I have any credentials or qualifications-"

"But then how are you getting by? Arthur, you said you had a place."

"And I do." Arthur looked away. "I made a friend."

Morgana's confused face just smoothly turned into that of a smug one.

"Friend? You're telling me you're staying with a _friend_?"

Arthur's head snapped up. "What? No!"

Apparently, timing hated Arthur, and Merlin just casually walked up to the two, cloth in hand. He was wearing a look of bafflement, but hid it well behind his smile.

"Arthur..?"

Arthur sighed. He could practically _hear_ Morgana's smug smile.

"Merlin, this is my sister Morgana," He gestured towards her with a tired arm, "Morgana, Merlin."

Morgana had literally pushed Arthur out of the way and shook hands with the man. She had that glint in her eye that told Arthur that she was going to do something stupid.

"You don't happen to be Arthur's _friend_ , do you?"

Merlin just looked puzzled. "Yes..?"

She clapped her hands, as if she just won something. Arthur wanted to crawl under a rock. "Well," she said, "it was nice meeting you, _friend_ Merlin." She turned to Arthur, " I see you've got your... _hands full_ here. I'll see you later." She kissed his cheek and walked out the door, leaving the two men to stand there, side by side, in silence.

"Was she imply that we're sleeping together?" Merlin ask casually, not moving from his position.

"I'm afraid so."

"Huh."

And they went back to their work.

***

So, he was walking him home. Merlin was walking him home, after a long days work.

Arthur was totally fine with that.

They were simply talking about the town when Arthur saw them. There were two men walking on the other side of the road, both in black suits. It could have been paranoia, but the way that they were confronting random people on the street told him that _maybe_ he should listen to his instincts for once.

He caught Merlin's arm and dragged him to the closest thing he could find to keep them out of sight. Of course, it just _had_ to be a dark alley.

"Arthur, wha-"

But Arthur just placed his hand over Merlin's mouth, keeping an eye out for the two men. They were still in sight.

He could feel Merlin licking his hand in an attempt to clasp free, but it just tickled and he couldn't help the small snigger that escaped his lips. Merlin just had a strange look in his eyes, but Arthur decided not to comment on this.

Slowly, he lifted his hand away from Merlin's mouth, but held up a hand to let him know that he had to be quiet.

"What's going on?" Merlin whispered.

Arthur pointed to the two men. "I'm hiding from those two."

Merlin swivelled his head until he found the two figures wondering down the street. "Who're they?"

"Men hired by my father. Probably."

"Wait, what?"

Arthur walked deeper into the alley. "I may or may not have kind of...ran away?" He said the last bit as if it were question, when in reality he just wanted to shy away from Merlin's look of questioning.

"You ran away from your dad? And he hired men to come looking for you?"

"Yes?"

Merlin just hit his back against the wall. "God, rainbow scarf, you really are unpredictable."

Arthur just gave a sheepish grin, and was about to reply when he noticed that the two men were no longer in sight. He stepped out of the alley. Where had they gone? For all he knew, they could have been checking the area, at his motel. Where was he meant to go?

Merlin must have noticed that they were no longer on the streets also, because he just stood beside him. "Where d'you think they've gone now?"

"I don't know," Arthur replied honestly, "For all I know, they could have went to the motel; I've never known my father to hire people who give up that easily."

They stood there, in comfortable silence, letting the noise of cars and chatter filter in. Why had his father gone and done this? Arthur wasn't a child anymore, and he wasn't stupid. He knew what he could and couldn't do, and he knew how to keep his appearance a secret. He was doing a darn good job at it too; he had a job and even made a friend.

But that was all going to be taken away.

"Hey, " Merlin said, hitting the back of his hand lightly on Arthur's arm, "why don't you stay round mine for tonight? At least that'll keep you off the streets and easier to hide from them."

Well he was not expecting that.

"Really? A-are you sure?"

Merlin just let out a puff of laughter. "Am I- yes, I'm sure. It's not every day I come across a _fugitive._ "

"I'm not a-" But Merlin just dragged him away, obviously not caring what Arthur had to say for himself.

It took a few minutes, but soon Arthur was faced with a house. No a big one, but he had lived in what seemed like a castle for pretty much his whole life, so that wasn't to say much. Though the house was a little on the small side, it seemed homely. Much more homely than that of Arthur's. He walked in behind Merlin.

"So yes, I know it's not much, but try not to insult her _too_ much." The hallway that they were in had red tiles on the floor and pale walls. The two weren't meant to go together, but they just _did_. There wasn't much on the walls, just a green mirror. It occurred to Arthur that there was a reason that this house seemed so homely. It was just so full of _colour_.

"You refer to your house as _her?_ You no longer have the right to call me strange."

Merlin walked the both of them to the kitchen. Again, it wasn't very big, and the tiles on the floor seemed to run the occurring theme of red, but the walls were painted a bright lime. Again, if seen on paper, the colours would seem atrocious, but in reality, it would have been hard to imagine it any other colour. It made Arthur smile.

Merlin stood directly in front of him. "You're smiling."

"How would you know, you can't even see my mouth."

"It's your eyes."

Arthur looked up, and found that Merlin was already gazing. He really did have amazing eyes. They weren't just blue, but they were mixed with green and even a hint of gold. It was odd, they were just standing in the middle of a kitchen with no words on their tongues, but this moment appeared to be enough.

It seemed that they were both subtly swaying towards each other, as if not even aware of it. The silence was still there, but there was a message behind it. _Closer._

Arthur found that it was hard to breath. His heart was beating and the scarf on his face seemed extremely uncomfortable now. He knew it was only a matter of moments before he would unknowingly take it off, show Merlin how he truly looked. He knew that it would only be a matter of moments before he would see how Merlin would look at him differently, speak to him differenty.

And then Arthur's phone rang.

"Oh g-god, sorry," Arthur stammered, stepping away, "I just gotta," he pointed towards his ringing phone that was now in his hands, and saw that Merlin just nodded with a hint of disappointment in his face. God, if this was Morgana, she was going to get a brick thrown at her face for inconvenient timing. But then he checked his caller ID.

It was Uther.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course, I just had to leave it at that. And of course I had to interrupt their little moment ;) Please comment if you liked and everything, and hopefully new chapter soon!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh gosh, I'm sorry it took so long to update, but I've kinda been working on something else. But, alas, here is a new chapter! Please comment if you liked it and all that, and thank you for reading!

Oh shit.

"Father?"

He winced at the shouting on the other line. " _Where on_ earth _are you? For god's sake, son-_ "

Arthur cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, father," he said unsteadily, "I did not mean to worry you."

Uther cackled a dark laugh. " _Tell me where you are so I can get you._ "

"I'm afraid I cannot do that." Merlin must have seen how scared he looked, because he hooked his pinkie with Arthur's. It made him smile a little.

" _Is this a joke? Are you joking with me, Arthur?_ "

"I am not joking, I'm being completely serious."

Uther, apparently, was not taking no for an answer. " _Stop playing this stupid game and come home. You know you can't last out there on your own._ "

This angered Arthur. He'd heard variations of that phrase throughout his whole life, and for so long he believed it. But they were wrong. Uther was wrong. Sure it wasn't completely perfect, but here Arthur was; with a job, a place to stay and an honest to god _friend._

"Believe that if you wish, but I'm not coming back." He could feel Merlin squeeze in comfort. Arthur squeezed back.

" _Fine!_ " Uther snapped, " _but I'll be here, waiting, as it all falls to dust._ "

He couldn't bare it. He closed the phone, with what he hoped looked like power, but most probably came across as weakness. His father always did this, made him feel small. But he wasn't a child anymore, he could take care of himself, he _could_.

"Arthur?" He looked up and saw Merlin's worrying blue eyes search his. He shifted a little.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, "my father's just being a little.."

He didn't finish his sentence, but he knew that Merlin understood.

Merlin moved his hand so that it was holding Arthur's and pulled at it a little. "Come on," he said softly, "I think we should call it a night."

***

Arthur had spent the night in Merlin's guest room. Though it was similar to the motel room, it was also very different. Sure the size of it was around about the same, and even the colours of the walls were the same, but it had a different feel to it. It was weird, Arthur didn't think you could actually get a 'feeling', thought that they were only in books of fiction, but here he was.

It felt _homely_. Like everything Merlin touched.

He eventually got up from his bed, combing his hand through his hair. According to his phone, it was only seven. He contemplated staying in bed for longer, but then thought against it and grabbed his scarf. Merlin was probably still sleeping, but he could never be too careful.

He slowly went down the steps to the kitchen. From the complete silence throughout the house, Arthur guessed that Merlin was still sleeping. Good. He could surprise him with some breakfast.

He thought it would have been a nice thing to do, considering Merlin had done so much for him, even comforted him a little, without even being completely familiar with him. It shouldn't have made his heart swell, but it did.

He still felt a little awkward. He didn't know where everything was, and this wasn't even his house. What if Merlin got mad?

But then again, who would get mad at free breakfast?

With that in mind, Arthur set to work. He looked through the fridge, and found that there wasn't much. Just some eggs. He could work with eggs.

After about seven minutes of just mindlessly searching for a frying pan, Arthur was finally ready.

His first time making eggs. He could totally do this.

No he couldn't.

It started off simply, he cracked the eggs over the pan. But then he didn't know what to do with the shells, and he didn't really want egg on his hands, so he looked around for a bin. When he finally found one, he walked over to it, only to find that it was already full. Where was he meant to put the shells?

He couldn't even think about that, because there was a sudden noise from behind him. It sounded like a mild explosion. _Shit._

He dropped the shells on the floor and ran to the eggs that were _now on fire_ and tried with all his might to put it out. He turned the gas off and tried blowing on the flame. It didn't work.

"Arthur?" A groggily voice said from the top of the stairs. _Fuck shit._

"M-morning!" He shouted, looking for the sink. He quickly grabbed a normal glass and filled it with water.

"What's going on?" Merlin's voice was getting closer.

"N-nothing! Everything's fine!"

But it was too late. As soon as Arthur threw the water on the eggs, he found that Merlin was watching him. Arthur had to hand it to him; he didn't even look phased.

"What's going on?" Merlin asked, not letting his voice show any emotion. It kind of scared Arthur.

"I burnt the eggs."

Merlin locked his gaze onto him. "Clean all this up."

"Ok."

***

"How could you set eggs _on fire_?"

"Shut up, Merlin."

***

The both of them left for work at noon that day. It was weird, Arthur hadn't known him long, but it felt as if they'd know each other for so much longer. It was just so easy to talk to him.

So if it was so easy to talk to him, why was it so hard for him to ask all the questions that had built up in his head? Why was he working in a cafe if he was a blue blood? How had he even gotten into his house, what was he getting away from?

Was he the one to break the curse?

He decided to try and settle for one question. "What were you getting away from?" Arthur blurted.

Merlin didn't even look at him. "What?"

"When you appeared in my house. You said you needed to get away. From what?"

Merlin still hadn't looked up. Oh god, were these one of those moments where you're not meant to continue the conversation? Was he meant to drop it? He was just about to apologise when Merlin began speaking.

"I didn't really need to get away from anyone. But for days, whenever I passed the house, people were always running from it, screaming. I wanted to see what was so scary. I guess you could say curiosity got the best of me."

Oh. That made sense. "So you're one of those people who need to know everything."

Merlin finally looked up at that. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. That's probably why I'm always trying to see why you won't take you're scarf off. What is it, a bad nose job?"

He chuckled lightly at that. "You could say that."

Merlin bumped shoulders with him, "You know you can show me, I won't judge."

He just shook his head. He knew that he wouldn't judge him, if it were only just a _nose job_ But it wasn't.

It was an abnormality.

"I'm sorry." And with that, he sped along. He could practically feel Merlin's disappointment radiating from behind him, and he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed in himself.

***

A couple of weeks had passed, and Arthur could say that he was _comfortable_. Once it was confirmed that Uther's men would not return to the motel room, he was able to sleep in peace at night.

After the little mishap with Merlin, the two of them were good, apart from the fact that they were careful when mentioning the scarf. For the most part, he was grateful that the other man had not mentioned it, but there were always these moments where he wished that Merlin would push him to tell him. Because Arthur was just too weak to tell him on his own accord.

God, no wonder Uther said he wouldn't last that long out there. If he couldn't even man up and tell Merlin this detail about himself, then how was he meant to trust anyone? Sure, the pigs nose was uncomfortable, but what if he was forced to hide behind a mask for the rest of him life?

What if this was all there was to him? A mask that no one would ever unravel.

These thoughts always hit him at the most inconvenient times. Like when he was working. When he was buying lunch. When Merlin invited him round his house for a movie night.

When Arthur had told him that he had never seen any Disney films, apparently Merlin had taken the responsibility in educating him, starting with The Beauty and The Beast. They had already settled down and they were nearing the middle of the film.

So far, he was actually enjoying it. The funny thing was, he could kind of see himself in the beast. He was just so lonely, consumed in the thought that he'd never find the one he loved, that his curse would never be broken. And if anything, it hurt him. Because where Arthur tried to learn from this unfortunate situation, the beast turned bitter.

But here they were, in the middle of the film, and he could see the subtle changes in the beast. How he was slowly learning how to have fun. There was a abrupt churn in his stomach, as he turned his head towards Merlin. It was because of him that he had this chance to get away from Uther, to get his very own job.

It was because of him that he was finally content with life.

He had so much to thank him for, and what had he done? Kept himself to himself, practically lied to him. And he couldn't do it anymore.

"Pause the film." Even though he said it quietly, Merlin's hand shot at the remote and suddenly, the room was quiet.

"What's wrong?"

He took in a deep breath. "I-well...god this is hard." He let out a breath. "I just...I have so much to thank you for, Merlin, and I feel like I've been throwing it back in your face."

"Arthur, you haven't, I swea-"

"Please, Merlin, I have to do this. I don't know why, but you're one of the only people I feel comfortable talking to. And it scares me. And I just don't want to scare you away."

Merlin's eyes showed nothing but confusion and worry. "You couldn't scare me away if you tried."

Arthur let out a bubble of laugher, out of nervousness if anything, and continued. "Just...please don't look at me any differently." And with that, he lifted his hands towards his scarf. He began to unravel the mask.

The scarf was on the floor.

Merlin's gasp echoed in the room.

Arthur couldn't help but panic. "Look, I know it weird, _god_ do I know that, but I can get rid of it." He was rambling, _oh god he was rambling._ "I mean, I just need a blue blood to like me, and I'm not saying that you _do_ like me, but you _did_ invite me for a movie night. So tell me if I'm wrong, and I'll go, but please, _please_ , don't run away screaming. I don't think I could handle it from you."

But the silence just continued. Merlin didn't look scared, but he certainly didn't look happy. Had he just ruined things?

"Blue blood..?" Merlin stuttered.

"Yeah, I get it, you're probably too good for the guy with the pigs nose, I totally understand. But I thought we were getting along great, and I just...I thought-"

"No."

That single word hung between the two of them for so long, and Arthur was shocked. He shouldn't have been, he should have _known, goddamnit._ Why was he stupid enough to think that he could have something nice for him, something that could end this curse.

Uther was right."Oh..I-okay. I'll just-"

"Arthur," He grabbed his arm, but Arthur broke free.

"Sorry, I didn't mean-" He grabbed his scarf from the floor and out it on, "Bye, Merlin."

And so he left.


End file.
